Current-collecting device for electric-railway systems.



PATBNTED'DEG. 15, 1903. A. A. SHOBE & W. EMBLEY. CURRENT COLLECTING DEVIGE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

APPLIOATIQN FILED JUNE 25, 1903.

2, SHEETS-SHEET 1.

H0 MODEL.

ma mm N5. 746,751. PATENTED DB0, '15, 1903.

' A. A. SHOBE & W. EMBLBY.

- CURRENT COLLECTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

I zgggm isszsf 1 E v UNITED STATES iatented December 1 5, 1903.

PATENT OFF CE.

CURRENLCULLEQTING DEVICE FOR ELECTRlC-RAlLWAY SYSTEMS.

SPEQIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,751, dated December 15, 1903.

Original application filed April 10, 1903, $e'rial No. .15 2,Q79.- Divided and this application filed June 25 1903, Serial No. 163,115. (No model.)

T osZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ABRAHAM A. SHOBE and WILLIAM EMBLEY, citizens of the United States, residing at J erseyville, in the county of Jersey and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Current-Collecting Device for Electric-RailwaySystems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric-railway systems, and has forits principal object to provide a novel form of current-collector or trolley for conveying the current to and from the motor or motors on the car.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of current-collector in which a plurality of sets of trolley-wheels are electrically connected in sets, one in contact with the positiveconductor and the other for contact with the negative conductor.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved supporting means for-the current-collector to permit yielding movement necessary to compensate for vertical movement of the car and any resistance between the current-conductorsand the bracket by which the collecting devices are supported.

With these and other objects in view, as

will hereinafter more fully appear, the invention consists in the novel cons'tructionand arrangement of parts hereinafter described,-

illustrating the application thereto of a ourrentcollecting device and its supporting means in accordance with the'invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of acurreritcollector. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the mechanism by which the collecting device is supported. Fig. 5 is an end view of the supporting mechanism.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of .the drawings.

In the drawings is shown a conduit 1, having supports for a positive conductor 2 and negative or return conductor 3,these parts being shown and described in detail in an application for United States Letters Patent filed by us on April 10, 1903, under Serial No. 152,079, and of which the present application is a division.

The frame or base of the collector or trolley comprises a suitable bar 40, formed of hardwood or similar non-conductor, which may be covered by a paint or coating of any kind to prevent saturation. Through the con tral portion of this bar extendsa slot40 for the reception of a vertically-disposed slot-bar 41, of a width somewhat less than the length of the slot and connected to the bar by a single transverse bolt 40, which forms a pivotal connection between the two bars and permits slight rocking movement on the bar 40 in order that the collectingdevice" may accommodate itself to any irregularities in the conductors. The upper end of the slot-bar 41 is connected to a head-block 42, having a verticallydisposed pivot-stud 43 passing through a bearing opening in a sleeve 44 to permit slight turning movement of the slot-bar when the car is traveling around curves. The sleeve 44 is arranged at one end of a spring-support- "e'd trolley-carrying arm 45,.the opposite end of which is connected to an arm or lug 49, ex-

tending from the rear side of a sleeve 48 and free to turn on a stud 47, depending from a bracket 46, that is secured to one of the truss or bolster members of the car, this arrangement permitting further freedom of movement and allowing the car to turn curves without danger of straining or breaking the slot-bar.

To the rear side of the sleeve 48 is secured an arm or lug to which is connected one end of a spring 50, the opposite end of said spring passing through a clip near the rear portion of the trolley-sopporting'arm and exercising upward pressure on the arm in order tohold the wheels of the current-collector or trolley in engagement with the current-conductors.

To the opposite sides of the bar or block 40 of the current-collecting device are secured flanged collars 51, each carrying a stud 52, and on said studs are mounted metallic contact-wheels 53 for engaging the current-conductors. The corresponding studs on opposite sides of the bar 40 are connected by metallic bars 54 and 55, respectively, and secured to these bars are the ends of current-conducting Wires 56 and 57, that pass up through suitable recesses or openings in the slot-bar and are connected in any desired manner to the motor or motors on the car, the current passing up from the positive conductor through one set of trolley-wheels, bar 54, and Wire 56 to the motor and returning to the negative by means of the wire 57, bar 55, and the trolley-wheels of the opposite side of the bar or block 40. In order to lessen the liability of short-circuiting, the studs are surrounded by rings 58,01 insulating material,although this in all cases may not be necessary.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. In electric-railway systems,a baror block of insulating material, means for supporting the same, Wheel -supp0rting studs having flanged bases secured to opposite sides of the bar and arranged in pairs, bars or plates of conducting material electrically connecting studs on the same side of the bar, currentconductors extending from said bars or plates, and trolley-wheels mounted on said studs.

2. In electric-railway systems, the combination with underground conductors, and a trolley, of a trolley-supporting device com-- prising a depending bracket secured to the car or other vehicle and having a verticallydisposed stud, a sleeve journaled on the stud and having a rearWardly-extending arm, a carryingarm pivotally connected to said rearWardly-extending arm, a spring engaging said carrying-arm and tending to elevate the same, and a slot-bar having a pivotal connection with the carrying-arm and serving as a support for the trolley.

3. In electric-railwaysyste1ns,a bar or block of insulating material, having an approximately central slot, a slot-bar extending through said slot and pivotally connected to the bar or block, Wheel supporting studs having flanged base portions secured to the opposite sides of the bar and arranged in pairs, and means for electrically connecting studs on the same side of the bar, and trolleywheels mounted on said studs.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ABRAHAM A. SHOBE. WILLIAM EMBLEY. Witnesses:

GEORGE W. WARE, ROBERT W. McOLURE. 

